Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL), a public sector enterprise under the ministry of steel and mines, has recorded the highest turnover of Rs 1,272 crore during 1998-99. The company achieved this despite the fact that it was a difficult year for the base metal industry. In spite of the record turnover, profit before tax has come down from Rs 202 crore in 1997-98 to Rs 150 crore. The reason was a steep fall in the LME prices of zinc and lead.

BPCL to double bottling plants

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited plans to double the number of LPG bottling plants in the country during the next three years to meet future requirements, according to BPCL's marketing director S Behuria. Laying the foundation stone of 29th LPG bottling plant for the region at industrial estate at Butibori, about 30 kms from Nagpur on Sunday, he said the plant would have a capacity of 22,000 tonnes per annum.

Videocon plans unit in Gulf

The Videocon group is planning to setup a $30 million facility in theGulf to make colour television sets and home appliances, its managing director RN Dhoot said in Dubai on Sunday. Dhoot told reporters that the facility would cater to the company's markets in the Gulf, Middle East and North Africa. The locations being considered for the unit include Sharjah, Dubai and the Jebel Ali free zone in the UAE and other Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.